Women of Venus
by AchikaMiyu
Summary: It looked like she was going to have to grab the bull by the horns, or in this case, Naruto by his . . . well somewhere. Of course this couldn't happen without some training from none other than Anko Mitarashi. Spinoff to Playing Cupid.
1. Sakura in Bloom

**Entry for H&E Valentine's Day contest (hope to finish it before the deadline).** **Keyword: Promise**

**Rated M for heavy innuendo and potential sexual situations.**

**Companion piece to my earlier story "Playing Cupid." **

* * *

**Chapter 1: Sakura in Bloom**

Scratching her head in agitation, Sakura gazed down at her paperwork. Her eyes narrowed as in a small fit of boredom she started to draw spirals along the edge of her notes. Sakura had been trying to study in her office so she could get her mind off of a certain shinobi who was taking over her thoughts. When she would try to distract herself, something small would remind her of him and she would spend the next hour trying to get him out of her head.

She tried training, but then she saw a frog and she started thinking about him again. When trying to get some lunch, her stomach kept craving ramen. Then she decided to study to get her mind off of things. And that's where she was now, staring at the small spirals adorning her notebook.

It was annoying to think that of all the people to obsess about, the only person on her mind was _him_. Sure, she had been staring at him out of the corner of her eye during training sessions and taking more care in treating his wounds over others, but that didn't mean anything other than that she was a really close friend, right? She wasn't sure what her status was with him or what she wanted it to be, but she hoped that she would figure it out soon.

"Sakura?"

Sakura looked up to find Kurenai looking at her expectantly from the door to her office. "Oh, Kurenai. What brings you here?"

"I saw you in your office after finishing my exam. I thought I would drop in to say hello," the woman said with a faint smile.

"Oh, did you have another pre-natal check-up?"

"Yes. I got to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time today. The baby's just a tiny little thing right now, but I think he or she will be strong," Kurenai said as she tenderly put her hand over her stomach.

"That's really good to hear."

Sakura was happy to see the jounin woman in such good spirits. She couldn't imagine how hard and scary it must be for her to go through pregnancy and birth without the support of her husband. Asuma's death was truly tragic. The thought of losing Naruto to Akatsuki frightened her to the core. Sakura knew that with the constant threat the organization posed to him and Konoha, it would be no surprise if they somehow captured and extracted the Kyuubi from him. But that was not something she would consider or allow. She had sworn to herself that she would never let Naruto come to any harm, ever.

"I should probably get going now. I'm sure that you still have work to do," Kurenai bowed politely.

Before the woman left her office, Sakura stopped her with a question, "Wait, I wanted to ask you something." Kurenai paused in the doorway waiting for Sakura's question. The young medic paused momentarily before finally asking, "How did you and Asuma finally get together?"

Kurenai closed her eyes reminiscing about her courtship with Asuma. Taking a seat in one of the chairs in Sakura's office, she smiled wistfully. "You would never believe it, but Naruto actually had a hand in helping us get together."

"Naruto did? You mean loud-mouthed, ramen eating Naruto?"

"Yes, Naruto. Hard to believe, isn't it?"

"Yeah, kind of is," Sakura tried to imagine how her teammate could have possibly helped two older adults in the matter of love.

"But in his own special way, Naruto was the one who gave me enough courage to finally show Asuma how I felt."

"So you were the one who instigated the relationship?"

"Partly. Asuma had been buying me flowers and taking me on dates, so it was mutual on both our parts. But I was the one who took the final step in consummating our relationship."

"What did you do? I mean, if you don't think it's too personal or anything," Sakura said hoping that she wasn't prying into intimate details about Kurenai's love life.

"It's actually a funny story. Asuma had been telling me about how Naruto stole the scroll of forbidden jutsus from Sandaime a few years ago. He had been teasing his father on being so weak for falling to Naruto's Sexy no Jutsu. I decided to prove him wrong by using the exact same technique that defeated the Sandaime on him."

Sakura stared wide-eyed. "You mean you performed the Sexy no Jutsu on Asuma?"

"At least a variation of it. I used my own body and prepared a simple genjutsu to make me appear unclothed," Kurenai laughed.

"And did it work?"

"Let's just say that we started living together the next day."

"That's a really funny story. One that I'm sure your baby will love to hear when they're my age." Sakura laughed.

"Of course. So Sakura? Is there anyone who you were thinking of trying that technique on?" Kurenai teased.

A mental image of herself standing before Naruto in nothing more than a few strategically place smoke screens and a sexy pout flashed through her mind. Sakura couldn't hide the blush that painted her face from the observant woman before her.

"Oh, so you are thinking of using that technique on someone."

"No! It's not like that at all! I mean, who would want to use the Sexy no Jutsu on the idiot who created it," Sakura said in a rush.

Kurenai's eyes lit up in amusement as she stared at the stuttering kunoichi. It didn't appear that Sakura even noticed or realized what she had said. But the older woman had learned all that she needed to know, or at least confirmed what she had always suspected. "I shouldn't tease you anymore about things like this. But I'm sure you're pretty busy so I should take my leave."

Sakura recomposed herself before speaking, "Yes, thank you for stopping by though. It was nice chatting with you."

The genjutsu specialist walked out of the hospital with many things on her mind. Putting a hand over her stomach, she knew first-hand how the life of a shinobi could end in the prime of their life. All shinobi were put in danger everyday, but Kurenai couldn't help but think about the precarious life of Sakura's teammate, Naruto.

Kurenai had started to care for the boy, even before she married Asuma. Her late-husband had inherited Sandaime's fondness for Naruto and in turn, Kurenai had thought of him as a part of the strange family she gained when she married into the Sarutobi family. It was only fair that the kids of this generation were given a taste of the happiness she had with Asuma, especially Naruto who deserved it the most.

"I think it's time to help Naruto get a certain girl. Good thing that Anko owes me a favor," Kurenai said to herself as she left the hospital.

* * *

Sakura stared at the doorway where Kurenai had left. Her brain was frozen on one thought and one thought only. She wanted to see Naruto in nothing more than a headband and his signature smile. Her face flushed into many different shades of red while processing the information. Was she in love with Naruto? Thinking back to her earlier thoughts and how she had been acting today confirmed her answer. Yes.

Sakura didn't know exactly when she started to feel that way. A part of her thought that she had always felt this way since she was a genin, but her stubborn side refused to believe that she had harbored these feelings for so long. But it made sense. Her constant worry over his wellbeing and slight jealousy over other women weren't just because she was his longtime teammate. It was because Sakura Haruno realized she was in love with the ramen eating, orange wearing, blond-haired idiot of a teammate, Naruto Uzumaki.

Now Sakura was fussing over the thought of what to do with this new information. Naruto still held an attraction to her both emotionally and physically if the many times she had caught him glancing at her body were any indication. He still made his poor attempts at asking her on a date, which didn't have an ounce of romanticism. However, if he were dressed in a nice shirt and tie with flowers in his hands when he asked, that would be a different story. Sakura always wanted to have a guy sweep her off her feet. She guessed that she was going to have to confess her feelings to him, since obviously the idiot wasn't going to make the first move. It looked like she was going to have to grab the bull by the horns, or in this case, Naruto by his . . . well somewhere.

As she started to walk back to her apartment, Sakura was trying to figure out the best course of action to take. She thought that asking him out might be too forward, though she wouldn't completely rule out that possibility. Flirting with him might work, but then Naruto could be as dense as they come so she wasn't sure if he would catch any of her hints. Frankly, Sakura wasn't sure what to do. She could strategize the best way to fight an enemy, heal the most critical wounds and could retain sensitive information with the utmost confidence. But when it came to this, she was stumped.

Sakura was so lost in her thoughts she didn't register the person standing in front of her until she nearly ran right into them.

"A little distracted tonight, Sakura?" the voice of Anko Mitarashi rang out. She stood wearing a smug look on her face with both hands on her hips as she stared down at the confused chunin.

"Oh, Anko. I'm sorry about that. I was just thinking."

"Thinking? And what were you thinking about? Hm?"

Sakura's mouth open and closed soundlessly as she struggled to say anything but the truth. "Um, well . . ."

"Could it involve ramen? You know . . . something spirally? Like Naruto for example?" Anko prodded.

"How did you know?" Sakura asked in shock.

"I didn't, but judging from your answer I was right. So what is our blooming blossom going to do to our little pervert-in-training?"

"Naruto's not a pervert!" Sakura said, startled that those words actually came out of her mouth.

Anko gave Sakura a pointed look. "Really now?"

"Well, I mean. Yeah he is one, but he's not as bad as Jiraya!"

"True, but who's been training him for the past two to three years?"

"Jiraya."

"And who's been training him recently?"

"Kakashi."

"And what do those two men have in common?"

"The fact that they're perverts," Sakura said defeated.

Anko grinned, "and they always say that the student follows the master. So who knows what sort of perverted techniques Naruto has learned through them. Though, that could be good for you."

"How?"

"Maybe he's going to be a real beast in bed," Anko said licking her lips.

Sakura wished that there was a hole somewhere nearby where she could fall in and bury herself to hide her embarrassment. Though a part of her had to admit that it was a delicious idea to think about how to fully utilize Naruto's unyielding stamina.

"So Sakura? Have you got a plan for how to nab yourself a blond-haired cutie?"

"Um . . . no. Not yet."

Anko tapped her finger on her lips while thinking. "Is that so? Well, if you need some help, I could offer you some pointers and tips. I think I have a few tricks up my sleeve that would help you out. What do you say?"

"I don't know. I'll have to think about it," Sakura said uncertain about whether or not she should trust Anko or continue to find that hole to bury herself in.

"Oh, well you better decide soon. I heard from someone that Hinata was looking for me to ask for advice and training on how to get a certain someone who she lik--," Anko said casually.

Sakura interrupted the woman before she could finish speaking, "I'll take your offer!"

"Good. Do you have any plans for the rest of the evening?"

Sakura shook her head.

"Well neither do I. Let's head on over to my apartment where the real training will begin. Sakura, I promise that after I'm through with you, you'll be able to make Naruto nothing but putty in your hands," Anko said while licking her lips.

Sakura swallowed hard. Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea after all.


	2. The Secret Scroll of Konoha

**A/N: **So this story isn't exactly a sequel to "Playing Cupid." It's more like a companion fic since it's in the same universe. But hopefully by the end of the fic, it will become a sequel. Either way, you don't have to read "Playing Cupid" to understand what's going on here.

**Chapter 2: The Secret Scroll of Konoha**

When Sakura stepped into Anko's apartment, a part of her half-expected to see various torture devices strewn across the floor, but the woman kept the place surprisingly clean. Her weapons were kept in a neat pile in one corner along with some scrolls. The kitchen was spotless and the living room looked very homey. On the surface, it looked like the room of any shinobi in Konoha.

"Alright now Sakura, I want to know if you are one hundred percent certain that you are ready for the training I'm about to give you because there is no going back once I've started."

Was she ready for this? Could she handle anything Anko dished out at her? It couldn't possibly be as bad as the training she had with Tsunade. But then, that was a different type of training. Just when her courage was about to waver, she remembered the fluttering feeling in her stomach whenever she caught Naruto's eye. She remembered how he could always put a smile on her face whenever she needed it or let her vent her anger on him whenever he did something stupid. Sakura blushed as she recalled seeing Naruto during one of his training sessions with Kakashi and Yamato. He was training without a shirt on. The deeper, darker side of Sakura admitted that if she knew that Naruto would develop like that when he was twelve, then she would have whole-heartedly agreed to any of his dates.

Unfortunately, back then she was too stuck on Sasuke to even consider Naruto. All the things that Naruto had done were meaningless compared to her childhood crush. She had ingrained it into Naruto's skull that she would never consider him more than a friend because Sasuke was the one for her. Reflecting back on how she acted in the past made Sakura nauseous. She was certain that Naruto still thought she was head over heels in love with Sasuke. And why wouldn't he be since she hasn't ever given him any true indication that she had an interest in him. Shaking her head, Sakura knew that she was nothing but a fool. A fool who was going to make amends for the things she had done in the past and do her best to give Naruto every ounce of happiness he deserved, and he deserved everything. That was a promise.

"I'm ready. I will not back out so please, teach me everything you know," Sakura said as she bowed.

Anko smiled at her determination. "Good. Now close your eyes for a minute while I get the room ready."

Sakura obeyed and waited patiently as she heard Anko rummaging around the room.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now."

The first thing that Sakura saw was a bowl full of bananas. Next to the bowl were several scrolls that Anko had pulled out. Then her eyes settled on several multi-colored squares that looked like they had circular rings wrapped inside of them. They also came in different flavors and colors. Sakura's eyes widened and her face reddened once she recognized what the pile of 'multi-colored squares' really were. Now that she knew what Anko was going to teach her Sakura realized that Anko expected her to jump Naruto the first chance she got.

"So, where should we start? Hm, I know! Let me first ask you what experience you have so I know where to go from?" Anko asked with a smirk.

"Um, well. None," Sakura said embarrassed.

"Oh boy, looks like we're going to be in for a long night. Alright then, how far are you willing to go for Naruto?"

"How far?" Sakura squeaked.

"What I mean to say is, are you prepared to go all the way with him?"

Her heart beat faster thinking about Anko's question. Did she want a relationship like that? It was obvious that a relationship with Naruto would definitely get physical. They were both teenagers . . . hormonal teenagers. And there certainly wasn't a lack of physical or emotional attraction between them. Sakura had to admit that there had been some tension. It wasn't anything that hindered their teamwork or friendship. The tension was more like a want or need building up everyday. She had never tried to put what it was into words. All she knew was that she craved his smiles, his laughs, his everything.

Like a heavy hammer, Sakura was struck with the sudden realization and gasped, "I want him."

"Well that makes things easier." Anko shrugged while pulled out a scroll. "Here, study this."

"What is it?"

"It's a top secret scroll with many powerful techniques. I know for a fact that the great Sannin Jiraya has used this scroll countless times."

Tightening her grip on the scroll, Sakura stared at it in awe. "So how secret is this scroll?"

"Well, I'd say that most of the jounin have a copy of it, some of the chunin and I'm sure that a few genin may have stolen some. But then men like to share these things so it's not too much of a surprise."

"How is this a secret scroll if so many people have it?"

"Cause it's supposed to be a secret to the underage children of Konoha and some of the unsuspecting women who don't want to see their partners reading things like this," Anko said showing Sakura one of the scrolls.

"This—this has nothing but perverted drawings on it!"

"I know. It's a ninja's instructional guide to se—."

"Does Naruto have a copy of this scroll?"

"Probably. Why? Are you worried that Naruto may have a little more 'experience' than you?"

The crestfallen look on Sakura's face said it all. It was natural that a girl hoped they were a boy's first and only. And Sakura had no idea what Naruto may have done on his training trip with the biggest pervert in Konoha.

Anko put a comforting hand on Sakura's shoulder. "Don't worry Sakura. I'm sure that Naruto is still a bona fide V-trooper."

"How do you know?"

"Women's intuition." Of course, Anko wasn't about to tell her that she had jokingly made a pass at him and the stuttering, red-faced blonde had run away from her as fast as he could. If he had any experience, she would have known.

Sakura felt a bit more at ease with Anko's words. But her curiosity got the better of her. "Anko, if you don't mind me asking. How do you know so much? I mean, where did you get your experience?"

"Orochimaru was my sensei." And Anko left it at that. Sakura decided not to ask any more personal questions. "So, are we ready to continue?"

"Yes, sorry for the interruptions."

"Good. Now before we get to the contents of the scroll, we need to have a talk about the most important thing you will learn tonight. First off, men are like swords. They need to have sheaths to keep them from cutting everything that touches them or from getting too dull. Women like us are the sheaths. Are you with me so far?"

Sakura nodded her head.

"Now sometimes the blade of a sword can cut the sheath, or the sword has some rust or impurities that dirty the sheath. There are ways to prevent this by cleaning the sword with the proper tools so that when the sword is in the sheath; both the sword and the sheath will remain clean and in harmony. In other words, don't ever trust a guy to be responsible for taking care of the protection. Until they find a way to make men have babies, us women need to keep them in check."

Anko grabbed a banana off the table handing it to Sakura. "Now let's pretend that this is Naruto's. Go ahead, touch it, feel it, love it . . . do whatever. Once you stake your claim it's yours to play with. But one thing you should always do is make sure that it's protected. I'm sure you already know what to use for protection, but let me ask you this, did you know that they come in different colors and flavors?"

"Yes, I do," Sakura said as she looked down at the pile and noticed the vast array of reds, greens and orange. The flavors she saw were strawberry, cherry, watermelon and was that a ramen flavored one? Though she had heard about these before, this is the first time she had ever seen them.

"Good to know. Oh, feel free to take as many as you want. I have more around here somewhere. Now have you ever put one on?"

Sakura shook her head.

"In that case, go ahead and practice on the bit of Naruto you have there in your hands."

The embarrassment of the situation nearly made Sakura squeeze the banana to death. But she was able to get in enough practice so that she could finally look at the banana without immediately thinking about whether Naruto would be a medium-to-large banana or just a large banana.

* * *

As the night wore on, Anko taught her many more things such as the contents of the secret scroll. In it were instructions on different positions and oddly enough some ninjutsu techniques scattered about the pages. The applications of the techniques always puzzled Sakura since they didn't seem practical in combat. Looking over one of the techniques, she found a new hand-seal she had never learned in the academy.

"Anko, I never learned that hand-seal before, what does it do?"

"Ask Naruto to use that on you and you'll find out."

Sakura filed the information away for later, hoping that she would get the opportunity to try it out sometime. Something on the scroll caught her eye and she nearly fell out of her chair in shock. "Do women really let men do _that_ to them?"

"What, position #13? Sure, all the time."

"I mean, I can see how it works since there's #5 where the position is reversed, but I don't think I could ever feel comfortable with having that done to me."

Anko snorted, rolling her eyes at Sakura's comment. "Trust me, once you have it done to you, you won't complain anymore. If you still feel uncomfortable about it and Naruto offers, then just take a shower beforehand to get yourself nice and clean."

"Okay, I think I can do that. It doesn't seem as bad if I think about it that way."

"Now you're talking! I think we've made some great headway tonight. So, what positions are you thinking about for the big day?"

"I'm thinking either #20, #21 or #30," Sakura said as she pointed to the ones she was talking about.

"Hm, not a bad choice. If you feel really adventurous, I'd recommend #45. So do you have any more questions for me before I cut you loose?"

"No, I think you covered everything I needed to know. Thank you so much for your help. I don't know what I would have done if I didn't met you tonight."

"Not a problem. Oh, before you go, let me give you a scroll. You and Naruto should be able to make some good use out of it," Anko said as she gave Sakura a sealed scroll. "I call this one 'fun with kage bunshin no jutsu.'"

"Thank you." Sakura accepted the scroll with a flustered look. She had recently gotten used to studying Anko's scrolls without blushing or giggling. Anko had told her that the embarrassment goes away with time and experience, especially experience.

"Be sure to practice the techniques I taught you and remember my lecture from earlier tonight. Keep Naruto's sword oiled before you sheath it."

"I'll be sure to do that."

As Sakura left Anko's apartment, she felt much more confident and knowledgeable about how to best approach Naruto, or at least how to seduce him. Now came the real dilemma. How was she going to get him into her apartment?


	3. Plans in Action

**A/N: **I want to make sure that I get this out in the open before anyone gets disappointed. I am **not** going to be writing anything too explicit in this story. There will be tons of innuendo, but nothing that could be construed as extremely graphic. Just thought I put that out in the open before anyone develops an expectation of how the next chapter is going to look like.

And a note to the reviewer who wondered why fandom always portrays Anko as a nymphomaniac: have you seen what she wears?

* * *

**Chapter 3: Plans in Action**

Sakura went over the plans in her head. She had played out several different scenarios to get Naruto over to her apartment. She thought about asking him to help her pick out some plants to liven up the place, but she still had a plant that he had given her before he left on the training trip. Then she thought treating him to a home-cooked meal. But she surmised the only thing he would eat homemade was ramen, and ramen from scratch was just too much trouble.

She wanted to make sure that he was as comfortable as possible. Not only that, she wanted an excuse to wear that little red dress she had been meaning to show off. Sakura needed to find a suitable reason to get Naruto to come over while she was dressed up. Perhaps she should throw a party, but there wasn't anything to celebrate.

Frustrated, Sakura decided to take a walk to clear her mind. She knew that there was no need to jump into things without proper planning. It was only recently that she came to terms with her true feelings. And as the saying went, only fools rush in; and Sakura was far from a fool.

A shock of white hair out of the corner of her eye drew Sakura's attention to a familiar jounin reading a certain book. "Ah! Kakashi-Sensei!"

"Sakura, how are you doing?" Kakashi looked up briefly from his book to ask.

"I'm doing well, just out for a walk. You're out shopping I see," Sakura stated, noticing the bag of groceries in his left arm.

"Needed to get a few things for Pakkun. He enjoys eating steaks. It's one of his favorite foods."

"Do you always feed your summons so well? You must be such a great master to them."

"Oh, no. I don't do this all the time," Kakashi scratched the back of his head. "It's a special occasion so I thought I'd treat him."

Sakura gazed up at her instructor curiously, "special occasion?"

"Ah, it's Pakkun's birthday soon."

"Are you going to throw him a party?" No sooner at the words come out of her mouth, Sakura's face lit up as she found a solution to the problem that had been plaguing her earlier. "I know! How about you throw a party at my apartment! That is, if you haven't already planned one."

Kakashi was slightly taken aback by the suggestion. "Are you sure? I was just going to have a steak night with me and the other dogs."

"It's fine! It'll be fun! We could have all of Team Kakashi over, including Yamato and Sai. They can all give Pakkun some presents. I'll even cook!" Sakura said with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. She needed to convince Kakashi to agree to this party. If he said no, then she would be back to square one.

"If you really want to. When should we have the party?"

"Well, when is Pakkun's birthday?"

"This Saturday."

"Alright, how about we all meet up at my apartment this Saturday at 6 p.m.?"

"That sounds good to me. I can let Yamato know."

"And I'll get a hold of Naruto and Sai," Sakura said in a rush as she made her way towards Naruto's apartment. She didn't want to waste any time on other things when she had preparations to make. Though she did remember who helped her in this situation and she turned around before she was too far down the road, "Kakashi-Sensei! Thank you for letting me throw this party!"

Kakashi waved at Sakura but didn't have any time to reply back as the kunoichi ran down the road. He was slightly confused as to why she was thanking him so earnestly. He never did quite understand his female student and assumed that her excitement over hosting a party must have been a girl thing.

* * *

Sakura raced over to Naruto's apartment with her heart pounding. Anko had told her that even though she knew what her feelings were and that she was going to act on those feelings, she still had to act natural around him. Truthfully, she wasn't sure if she could restrain herself from at least letting her eyes wander. Look but don't touch, or at least don't touch until you're ready to strike.

Upon reaching his apartment, Sakura straightened out her hair before knocking on his door. The sounds of a chair scrapping across the floor followed by a few grunts brought a smile to her face. Naruto was home. Sakura replaced the giddy smile with a more neutral expression before Naruto could open the door.

Naruto's eyes lit up once he realized who was greeting him, "Sakura-chan! What's up?"

"Nothing much Naruto, just thought I drop by and tell you some good news," Sakura said trying to act casual. "I ran into Kakashi-Sensei on my way here and heard that Pakkun's birthday is coming up."

"Really? We should totally throw a party for him!"

"Already on top of that. I'm going to host it at my apartment this Saturday at 6 o'clock. I already told Kakashi and he's going to let Yamato know. You'll come, won't you?"

"You bet I will! Do I need to bring anything? What should I wear? Do you need me to bring any food?"

"Slow down Naruto," Sakura chuckled. "Come dressed as you are. Just make sure you bring a present for Pakkun. I'm going to be cooking and baking a cake. You can bring some food or beverages if you want to, but no instant ramen!"

"Aw, come on Sakura-chan, why not?"

Sakura smiled watching Naruto as he begged and pleaded. It was so easy to act naturally around him. She was so at ease whenever she talked to him that all of her previous anxieties were all washed away. "How about this? I'll make it up to you by treating you to some homemade ramen one night. Does that sound good?"

Naruto stared at Sakura in shock as his face began to flush. "You mean . . . you want to cook dinner for me?"

"Yes."

"Homemade ramen?"

"Yes."

"And it would be just you and me, at your apartment?"

"Well, I could invite Sai over if you'd like," Sakura said giving him a sly look.

"No! Just us is fine! I mean, yeah, I'd like that. So when do you want me to come over for dinner?"

"Naruto? Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself? We haven't even had Pakkun's party yet."

"Aw, but ramen," Naruto whimpered.

"That will come later. I promise we'll set a date after the party. Okay?"

The excited look on Naruto's face told Sakura all she needed to know. "I'm holding you to that Sakura-chan. And you better make a lot cause you know how much I can eat."

"I know," Sakura turned to leave, but paused looking back at Naruto over her shoulder. Remembering one of Anko's lessons, Sakura put one hand on her hip and tilted her torso towards Naruto so he could get a view of how much she had grown out over the years. A cute pout was the icing on the cake as she spoke to Naruto in the pose she had practiced in the mirror. "Oh Naruto, if you happen to see Sai, could you tell him about the party? I need to get going so I can get things ready."

"S-sure," Naruto gulped, unable to hide the blush adorning his face.

"Thanks Naruto, I'll see you this Saturday!"

Sakura left Naruto's apartment satisfied. She didn't even need to turn around and look to know that the blond was staring at her retreating back, or more likely her posterior. She added more of a sway to her hips than she normally would. She was certain that Naruto had a stupefied look on his face. The visit was a huge success and helped reassure Sakura of a few things. The big one being, she definitely had it bad for Naruto. She sighed at the memory of seeing his muscular arms and thinking of what they could do to her. Sakura couldn't wait for Saturday night to come. But first, she needed to get things ready.

* * *

Putting the last of the food on the table, Sakura nodded her head in approval. She had finished preparing the table spread and everything looked delicious. There were piping hot pieces of gyoza, handmade onigiri, and various other savory dishes she knew how to make. She even made sure to add a bowl of bananas on the table. It didn't hurt to help set the mood.

Stepping back, Sakura looked at her apartment making sure that everything was ready for tonight. It would be any minute that her first guest was going to arrive and eventually, Naruto. She made sure that Anko's scrolls were hidden in a secret drawer in her room. The multi-colored pieces of latex were tucked safely away under the couch and in a select few drawers around the house. Sakura wasn't sure where things were going to heat up so she put some everywhere, just in case. She had been practicing the techniques Anko had taught her and even put in a few flairs of her own, such as her favorite red dress.

Sakura loved everything about this dress. It was red, which was her favorite color. It had spaghetti straps that showed off her shoulders. The dress also flared out so she could twirl in it if she wanted to. But the best part of the dress wasn't the fact that it was comfortable, yet elegant or that it stopped shy of her knees. The best part was that the dress was a button-up dress and the buttons were in the front. Sakura wanted Naruto to have easy access to her and everything else he wanted tonight.

A part of her was still extremely nervous since she had no real experience. As a young girl, she had always pictured a night like this to start with a juvenile admittance of feelings. Then over time that would build and build until after a period of getting comfortable, both parties would begin experimenting. Experimenting would eventually lead to a night in bed which would be the climax of the physical part of a relationship. Though Sakura wasn't going to object if this was the path she and Naruto took if he decided to play the noble act. Of course, Anko had taught her a few tricks to combat that, should she choose.

Thinking about Anko made her remember something poignant the older woman had said to her. _Women have needs too. We shouldn't have to act like lambs, waiting for Prince Charming to waltz into our lives, sweep us off our feet and then ride off into the sunset. It's only fair that we get to take hold of the reigns every now and then. I prefer all the time, but you should have a say in the relationship. After all, it takes two to tango, if you know what I mean, and a woman is the one who wears the pants in the relationship anyway._

She had to admit that if it weren't for spending that long night with Anko, Sakura would still be taking her time waiting for things to develop naturally between her and her teammate. She learned that women shouldn't be afraid to take charge of the relationship. Some men try to take things slowly because they don't want to appear like they're rushing their partner, but what those men forget is that sometimes women want to jump head-first into the situation because they're that certain about how much they're in love. And because of that Sakura changed her mind about how she wanted to get the guy. Playing the innocent maiden isn't as much fun and Sakura was going to make sure that after she was done with Naruto; neither was going to be innocent anymore.

* * *

**A/N:** Two more chapter and an epilogue to go! 


	4. The Night the Earth Moved

**A/N: **Some scenes were taken from my story "Playing Cupid" and my narusaku drabble on the H&E forums for the keyword 'ring.'

* * *

**Chapter 4: The Night the Earth Moved**

The party was a success. Yamato, Sai and Naruto had shown up on time bringing presents for the guest of honor. Not surprisingly, Pakkun had arrived before Kakashi did, but the pug didn't seem to mind as he enjoyed his gifts. However, he kept giving Sai some wary looks. Given that it was Sai, she couldn't blame the pug. Sakura was glad that Pakkun liked the new cape she had sewn him. Everyone was enjoying the food, they were enjoying the company and most importantly, Naruto noticed how nice she looked in her little red dress.

He hadn't taken his eyes off of her since he first walked through the door. His facial expressions said everything: she was beautiful. She certainly felt like the most beautiful woman in the world with the sparkle in his eye or the cute way his lips curled up in a dopey smile. At one point, she thought he saw him drool when she made a fine point of taking her dear, sweet time eating a banana. Yes, he certainly had a glazed over look.

Sakura hardly noticed when the party started to wind down. It probably happened after Kakashi finally decided to show up, albeit briefly, to grab a bite to eat. She and Naruto were still so fixated on trying to see Kakahi's face that they both tried to sneak a peak. Of course, the jounin inhaled his food faster than their eyes could follow. One day they were going to see it even if they had to pin him down to the ground and pull his facemask off. She could rely on Naruto to help her with if they ever decided to do that. She and Naruto even reminisced about the time they had tried to see his face as young genins. It was amazing how easily they could talk with one another about anything and nothing all at once.

Eventually only she, Naruto and Sai were the only ones remaining. She thought that Sai had left sometime after she and Naruto had retreated to the couch. But she didn't really notice since all her attention was on Naruto, who was feeling more and more comfortable around her. His body was facing Sakura with his arm draped across the back of the couch, inches away from her shoulder. He probably wasn't aware of how bold his actions were becoming. She recalled a few of Anko's words as she sat facing him. _You need to butter him up like bread before you take a bite._ Sakura knew it was time to turn up the heat a bit.

She inched closer to him ever so slightly and didn't smooth out her skirt as it rode up her thighs. As he made a funny joke, she laughed while putting a hand on his leg, gently caressing it. She smirked as she heard him suck in his breath. Tilting her head to the side, she let her hair fall back to expose her smooth neck and shoulders. She thought she could hear his heart beating faster as the minutes ticked by, but it could have been hers as she waited for the things to come. They were both in the mood for flirting, touching and maybe more. It was the anticipation, it was the excitement; the nerves: it was the moment.

"Naruto, can I touch your whiskers? I've always wanted to know how they feel," Sakura asked in a low voice.

"You can touch anything of mine, Sakura-chan," Naruto purred.

"Perverted Baka," Sakura giggled as she smacked him playfully on the shoulder. Inching her face closer, she reached out for Naruto's face, gently letting her fingers glide over the pronounced facial marks.

"Careful Sakura-chan, they're sensitive," Naruto laughed. It looked like Naruto was trying to restrain his hands from moving using all his willpower to keep them at bay.

Unfortunately for Naruto, Sakura wasn't going to help him in his quest to remain a gentleman as she bent down to his ear and whispered, "Just like you, you know?"

Naruto lost his restraint as one hand wrapped itself around Sakura's waist and the other tenderly cupped her face, inching towards her pink hair.

Before Naruto could reach her hair, Sakura pulled back and said with a cute pout, "I don't recall you asking if you could touch my hair."

A low guttural growl replaced shortly by a soft whine did nothing to change Sakura's mind as Naruto tried to nuzzle her neck. Sakura blushed at the amount of power she had over him. Taking a deep breath, Naruto calmed himself and whispered as he tentatively fingered her pink locks, "So, Sakura-chan, can I touch your hair? I've always wanted to know if it's as soft as it looks."

Sakura leaned her head into Naruto's hand and sighed. She pulled her face closer to Naruto's as he responded in kind. "You can touch anything of mine, Naruto-kun."

She waited to see if he would bridge the gap between them. He certainly looked like he wanted to. Sakura wasn't going to give him any choice in matter as she licked her lips, closed her eyes and took the plunge. Naruto had met her halfway and they both kissed each other for the first time. To say that fireworks went off was an understatement. It was an explosion of emotions bursting out of their hands, their lips: their tongues. Sakura moaned as Naruto took charge of the situation kissing any and everywhere he could. She never realized how sensitive her neck was. Not one to be outplayed, Sakura let her nails rake across his back pulling up his black T-shirt.

Sakura pulled away from Naruto briefly to pull his shirt off. She took a moment to drink in the sight of his toned chest. When their eyes locked, she noticed the desire and confusion on his face. It was cute. Their lips met again with a fierce longing. Sakura could feel every ounce of passion in each of his kisses. He had loved her for so long that the intensity was scorching. Others would probably shy away from the sheer amount of raw emotion, but not Sakura. She was more than willing to get burned for his sake.

Feeling his muscles with her hands, she let her fingers glide across his smooth skin. She relished in the sensations of how his fingers left trails of excitement in their wake. They were gentle, yet firm. It was as if he was trying to remind himself that what they were doing was real and that he wasn't dreaming. Sakura smirked knowing that what she was about to do next would probably be beyond his wildest dreams. It was time to see the complete package.

"Wait, Sakura-chan," Naruto said pulling her hands away from his pants reluctantly. "Do you think we should take things a little slower?"

Sakura anticipated that he would be a bit hesitant. After all, she didn't think that he was plotting intricate ways to seduce her. He was always more of an in-the-moment kind of guy. But she had planned for this. "Don't you want me Naruto?"

"Yes. I mean, of course I do, but I don't want to rush you," Naruto said, his body shaking as he tried to restrain himself from jumping on top of Sakura and ripping all of her clothes off. He was torn between his desires and nobility.

"Isn't it obvious what I want? Is it that you don't think I'm good enough?" Sakura pouted, milking the moment for all it was worth.

"Of course, you're hot Sakura! I've wanted you since forever! But, are you sure you want this?"

It was endearing how he was restraining himself for her benefit. Under normal circumstances, she probably would have taken things slow, let them both become comfortable with what they were going to have. Then she remembered how much work she put into tonight. Like hell if she was going to let it all go to waste. _If he starts being all chivalrous and hesitates, then pull out the big guns by showing him the goods. I don't care how celibate a man may swear he is, if he has any attraction to women then seeing the goods will push him over the edge. _Tonight she was going to get what she wanted and Naruto was going to comply because it was what he wanted too.

"This is my answer," Sakura said as she slowly unbuttoned her dress from top to bottom. Naruto didn't need anymore encouragement after that.

* * *

Only one word could describe the feelings between the two lovers lying on the couch: complete. She was amazed at how easily it was for her to act on her body's instincts. She didn't have to say anything to Naruto except her gasps of encouragement and whispers of how much she wanted this. She was utterly exhausted. Sakura had only gotten around to performing #5 on him before they both used position #21 for their first time. From the way Anko described things, she thought that they could go at it all night. But Sakura wasn't too worried. The night was still young and they had all the time in the world ahead of them.

Looking up at Naruto's smiling face warmed her heart. He was the happiest man alive right now and it was all because of her. Sakura still had her arms wrapped around his neck while he played with her hair with one of his free hands.

"That was—" Naruto started to say, but couldn't stop smiling to get any words out.

"Yeah, it was." That was all Sakura needed to say before she pulled his face down for a long, yet tender kiss.

Naruto pulled back and placed a gentle kiss on Sakura's forehead. "God, you're so beautiful. I can't believe that this is happening to me. How long have you, you know, liked me?"

"Honestly, I don't know," Sakura laughed. "It just hit me all of a sudden one day. I probably had feelings for you for a while, but never knew. Kinda silly, right?"

"No, it's not silly. It's not silly at all," Naruto said before grabbing Sakura's hand and tenderly put it on his chest so she could feel the pounding of his racing heart. "God Sakura, I've never been held like this before. I've never felt this close to anybody, ever. I'm not going to let go of you, you know? I'm going to make sure that this feeling; this feeling right here never goes away."

Leaning forward, Sakura kissed him passionately, moved by his romantic speech. "I swear that I'll do anything in my power to help you keep those feelings. Do you know why? Because I promised myself that I would do anything to make you happy. And if holding you, touching you, loving you is what makes you happy then I'll do it forever."

Naruto's face softened as he pulled her into a tight embrace. "Sakura, thank you."

* * *

Sakura cracked open her eyes staring at her coffee table. She briefly noted the leftover food and something that looked like Sai's sketchpad littering the surface. But those things weren't important right now. What was was the fact that Naruto had his arms wrapped protectively around her waist. Her back was pulled so close to his chest that she could feel his heart beating next to hers. The night had been everything she had hoped it would be and more. She and Naruto were together now, holding each other in a lover's embrace. Sakura couldn't think of anything else that could make this night any more memorable. Of course, she forgot that she was now dating the number one most unpredictable ninja in Konoha.

"I love you. I love you so much. I'm gonna marry you someday, that's a promise," Naruto whispered into her hair.

Sakura nearly gasped as she heard his words. "Is that a proposal Mr. Uzumaki?"

"You're awake?"

"Of course I am silly. And you didn't answer my question," Sakura turned to face him, excitement and hope evident in her eyes.

Naruto smirked and nuzzled her neck. "Well, what if it is?"

She pulled back slightly with a teasing smile. "If it is, then where's the ring?"

"Well, um . . ." Naruto fumbled for the right words.

Then his face suddenly brightened as he moved around her body to get off the couch. Sakura gawked as Naruto stood up to his full height before leaving the room. The only thing adoring his bare body was Tsunade's necklace and he certainly was a sight to see. Sakura would forever burn that image into her brain. She was so enraptured by the scene that she almost didn't notice that he had come back.

Naruto returned to Sakura, bending down on one knee while holding out a lock of his hair tied together in the shape of a ring. "Sakura-chan, will you marry me?"

Sakura couldn't speak for a moment. Here she was with the one man who she knew loved her with all his heart and now that man wanted her in his life forever. His eyes were filled with earnest anticipation. She didn't think she had ever seen his eyes sparkle as much as they did now. She sat up and faced Naruto, placing a hand on his cheek. Her heart had known the answer long before her brain realized the truth. "Yes I'll marry you. Because I love you, you loveable dork. I love you."

* * *

** A/N:** One more chapter and an epilogue to go! 


	5. Promise of a Lifetime

**A/N:** My original intent in writing this story was to see how far I could go with only subtext. I intentionally wrote this story without using any explicit descriptions of sex or the word "sex." In response to the criticisms about the lack of lemon in the story, my husband decided to write one. This is what he wrote:

"_**Naruto, want to come into my room?"**_

_**Bang. Bang. Bang. GOAL!**_

That's it.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Promise of a Lifetime**

Sakura stirred trying to bury herself deeper into the heat keeping her safe. The air from the air conditioner was blowing on her skin, yet she felt warm. She opened her eyes seeing a crystal necklace resting on a tanned, muscular chest. Sakura smiled serenely. Last night wasn't all just a dream.

Lifting her head up, she saw the peaceful look on Naruto's face as he slept on the couch. Her hands where still entwined with his. Each finger was carefully interlocked with one another. His hands had always been rough and calloused, but she knew from personal experience how gentle and loving they could be. Carefully untangling herself from Naruto, she pulled her left hand towards her face gazing at the lock of hair wrapped around her ring finger. It was her first ring. She'd have to reinforce it with more string to keep it from unraveling, but it was the best gift she had ever received: so simple, yet so like Naruto.

Staring at his face, she couldn't help but smile at how adorable he was. She had fervently denied how handsome he was for far too long. But she was glad that they were able to open their hearts to one another last night. Moments like these were hard to come by. There were no worries, no missions; it was just the both of them lying with each other. Slowly getting up, Sakura disentangled herself from her fiancé. Thinking about the new title made Sakura giddy. She was engaged and to Naruto of all people. She wanted to do something special for him, as his fiancée. She didn't think that Naruto had ever had breakfast in bed before. Smiling at the idea, Sakura gave Naruto a quick peck on the lips. She almost laughed when his lips curled up into a smile after she kissed him. Gathering her clothes that were thrown around the room, Sakura gave him a bit of decency by covering him up with a T-shirt they had used as a blanket. It was time to make some breakfast, but first, a shower.

Feeling the hot water cascading down her body brought back flashes of the pure heat emanating from Naruto's lips. Remembering his kisses made her weak in the knees. Anko had told her that one of the best feelings wasn't the actual act itself, but the afterglow of being held by a man who thinks you are the sun and the moon. Of course, Anko also said that she herself had never had that experience, but she had heard from Kurenai that it was wonderful. Thinking about last night, it was true. Sakura could get used to waking up every morning knowing that kind of love.

Sakura was too preoccupied reflecting on her night with Naruto that she didn't notice the other presence in her room before she heard a shrill whistle of appreciation.

"Wow, Sakura-chan. Is there anything that you don't look hot in?" Naruto eyed Sakura's towel-clad form from head to toe.

Sakura nearly jumped out of her skin. "Naruto! You nearly scared me to death." Once Sakura laid eyes on her fiancé, all coherent thoughts left her mind. Naruto was lying in her bed with his arms behind his back in a causal pose. The T-shirt she had draped over him was partly covering him, but Sakura could tell that with the way things were going, it was going to be on the floor soon.

"Like what you see?"

"Yes," Sakura gasped.

Naruto held his hand out to Sakura, gesturing for her to come closer. Like a magic spell, Sakura walked towards him entranced by the intensity in his eyes, the way his body was molded into perfection and most importantly, the look of pure love. She put her hand in his and let him flip her onto her back. The towel had fluttered to the ground somewhere next to the T-shirt. Her cheeks were flushed as she lay beneath Naruto.

His lips were exploring every inch of her body. They moved from her mouth to her neck, shoulders and lingered heavily over her chest. The pair hadn't even had breakfast yet and he was trying to get some dessert. Leave it to Naruto to think with his body and not with his head, or at least the one attached to his neck. Sakura's eyes shot wide open as Naruto made his descent until he was almost _there_.

Pushing Naruto's head back Sakura sputtered, "Naruto! Don't go down _there_! It's—it's private!"

"Well, duh Sakura-chan," Naruto said as he eyed it hungrily. "I just want to reciprocate for what you did to me last night."

"Naruto! That's so vulgar!"

"Not as vulgar as what we did last night."

Sakura blushed. She gazed into Naruto's eyes and saw the amusement there. She also saw the desire mixed in with love. He wanted to do this: wanted to make her feel. "Are—are you sure you want to do that?"

Naruto gave her a heart-warming smile. "Sakura, do you trust me?"

"Of course."

"Then let me love you."

Anko was right, #13 was heavenly.

* * *

It took some time, but eventually both Naruto and Sakura had breakfast and left her apartment. As Sakura walked around the town hand-in-hand with Naruto, she couldn't help but feel that things were different. The sky seemed a bit brighter and the air much crisper. People even looked at them differently, it was as if they knew what had transpired between the pair and they approved. Was this how the world looked through the eyes of a person madly in love? 

Yet at the same time, things hadn't changed at all. He was still loud and obnoxious, she still had to keep him in check with her fists and they were still the best of friends. The only major difference was that they were now "official." He no longer had to steal glimpses of her out of the corner of his eyes and she could now see first-hand the pure adoration he always had for her. Sakura almost laughed at how he was finally noticing the looks she had been giving him.

They were taking their time strolling through the village when Naruto spotted something over her shoulder. The gleeful look on his face made her wonder if there was a box of free ramen sitting the side of the road. She didn't have time to turn around as Naruto literally swept her off her feet and carried her with one arm supporting her back and the other behind her knees.

"Naruto! Where are you taking me?" Sakura giggled while she wrapped her arms around his neck. She had always wanted to be carried like a bride by a handsome hero.

"You'll see."

Before Sakura knew it, they walked into a shop. She recognized the store from the many times she and Ino had window-shopped here. It was Konoha's primer jewelry store. Her eyes lit up in anticipation. "Naruto, what are y—?"

Naruto interrupted her before she could finish her sentence. "Excuse me, sir? I need to buy an engagement ring for my beautiful fiancée!"

The store owner smiled at the loving couple. It wasn't often that he found a pair walking into the store where the man was carrying his intended. Even so, he knew that the pair were meant for each other. His old eyes had seen a lot of couples walk into this store putting their love into symbols of affection, but few of them had the same glow that this couple had. They were going to be together for a long, long time. He could tell. "So what price range are you looking for? I have a wide selection."

Putting Sakura down so he could pull out his frog-shaped wallet, Naruto put the overstuffed bundle on the counter. Apparently Naruto had been saving up. "Give me the best that my money can buy!"

Sakura stared wide-eyed at the scene unfolding before her. "Naruto! You don't have to spend that much on me. I mean, that must be your life savings!"

"Don't worry, I've got it covered. I've actually been saving up for a while. Besides, you're totally worth it. I'm only getting the best for my Sakura-chan."

The serene look Naruto gave her dispelled all her worries. She should have known he would pull a stunt like this. "Leave it to you to never do things half-assed."

"It's because of you that I can do crazy things like this. Only you."

Sakura embraced Naruto kissing him lightly on the lips. "So you're really doing this huh? You're really going to give this girl everything?"

"That's a promise of a lifetime, you better believe it," Naruto responded lovingly. "And don't think I've forgotten about my promise to bring back Sasuke, I mean, who else is going to be my best man?"

"Yeah," Sakura smiled wistfully. "You know, you've been making so many promises to me, maybe it's about time that I make some to you."

"Do you really mean it?" Naruto asked looking positively thrilled.

"Of course, I wouldn't mean it if I didn't love you."

Naruto was at a loss for words. He couldn't get enough of hearing her admit her feelings for him. "Do you promise to tell me you love me every morning?"

"Yes."

"And at night too?"

"Yes," Sakura laughed.

"Do you promise to make me homemade ramen anytime I want?"

"As long as you eat other things, yes."

"Do you promise to give me those smiles of yours everyday?"

Sakura smiled. "Yes."

"Do you promise me, promise me Sakura, that no matter what happens, even if Akatsuki were to come crashing in; that Sasuke were to come waltzing through those gates as if nothing had happened in the last few years because he's a bastard like that, that you truly, sincerely love me?"

She wrapped her arms around Naruto in a tender embrace while gently stroking his whiskers. Pulling him in for a deep kiss, she whispered the very words he wanted to hear. "That isn't a promise Naruto, that's a fact."

* * *

A/N: Epilogue coming soon. 


	6. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

It was finally the day; the big day. They were ready for this years ago, but promises had to be kept before they could complete this journey. Naruto needed to get his revenge on Akatsuki for Gaara and Jiraya. In his victory, Naruto had proved that the student had surpassed the master. Sakura kept Naruto from getting himself seriously injured and when he was hurt, she would heal his wounds tenderly with love and affection. Tsunade couldn't have been more proud of the pair. They overcame obstacles that no one thought was possible. To reward them for their tenacity, she gave Naruto the position he had always coveted, the title of Hokage. It was the last gift she gave him before she died saving Konoha.

True to his word, Naruto had brought Sasuke back to Konoha. But he didn't do it just for Sakura's sake; he did it for their sake. After all, there wasn't any other man who could be the best man for their wedding. Sai was a close second, but they were afraid his toast might include comments about Naruto's anatomy. Only Sakura was allowed to see or talk about _it_.

And so the occasion became the happiest day of their lives because they were going to be married. This day trumped the two other days Naruto felt were his happiest; the day he became Rokudaime and the day when Sakura finally expressed her love for him in a way only a woman could show a man.

Sakura was wearing her mother's wedding kimono, which was very simple yet elegant. The fine silk had a hint of pink in it, accenting her natural beauty. Naruto decided to wear his best jounin outfit with his Hokage robe overtop, emulating the Yondaime. Anyone who saw Naruto swore that he was the spitting image of his father, the late Minato Namikaze. The only jewelry Sakura wore was her diamond engagement ring and a homemade hair clip containing the lock of hair given to her by Naruto so many years ago. They were both symbolic of their love for each other and today they were going to seal their love with matrimony.

The marriage was a welcome celebration in Konoha with many high officials as guests, including the young Kazekage and his siblings. Taking place in the heart of the village where everyone could see, ninja and civilians all gathered to give their blessing to the couple. These were the same people who saw how a young boy surpassed all odds and fulfilled his dreams. They also saw how a shy young girl turned into one of Konoha's most beautiful and deadly kunoichi alive. Never in a million years would they have known that those two would help bring peace back to the shinobi world or that they would fall madly in love with each other.

In the culmination of a kiss, the marriage was official and the crowded erupted into cheer. Naruto and Sakura continued their kiss, too enraptured in their own bliss to be able to hear the roaring applause. This kiss was like the many they had shared before, but it held a special spark. Naruto would tell Sakura later that in that instant, he thought he saw their future together: having children, growing old and loving each other through thick and thin. Sakura knew that that kiss represented the first instant in the rest of their lives.

They finally broke for air as they gazed into each other's eyes. "Hello Mrs. Uzumaki."

"Hello yourself, Mr. Uzumaki," Sakura said with a stunning smile.

"We did it. Didn't we? We finally did it."

"Yes, we did."

The newlywed couple kissed again and again, ignoring the world around them. Konohomaru could have been named the new Hokage and Naruto wouldn't have cared.

Of course, the romantic moment wasn't going to last as long as a certain pig-headed Yamanaka and official maid-of-honor was there. "Come on you two, cut the kissing and let's get down to the reception already. We're not all going to sit here and watch you consummate the marriage right here and now!"

The couple glared at Ino for interrupting their moment. A faint light behind the bridal party caught their attention as Naruto and Sakura stared wordlessly at the anomaly. The light morphed into the image of a young couple holding hands standing in front of three familiar faces. Naruto nearly cried after seeing the kind face of Sandaime while he nodded his head in approval. Next to him was Jiraya, grinning like an idiot and pointing to a cover of an Icha Icha book while making lewd gestures. Tsunade punched Jiraya in the face, taking the book away from him while the young couple both laughed. The man and woman smiled at the newlyweds with pride in their eyes.

Naruto and Sakura had never met the unknown pair, but they both instinctively knew that they were family. The man looked exactly like Naruto. He had the same hair, the same blue eyes and the same smile. You could have easily mistaken the two for twin brothers. Standing next to the man was a beautiful woman with long red hair. The woman smiled at Sakura and bowed politely, as if she were thanking her for making Naruto happy. No sooner had the newlyweds seen the spectors, they began to slowly fade away.

As the apparitions disappeared, Naruto looked at Sakura in disbelief. The knowing look in Sakura's eyes confirmed that he hadn't been the only one to see the spirits. If it were at all possible, the couple felt even more blessed about their union. It was as if their love brought back the most important people in their lives to witness their wedding. Nothing could have made the day more perfect.

* * *

The reception was in full swing as the village ate, drank and celebrated the night away. Most of the food had been catered by Ichiraku, mainly because Naruto insisted. The festivities were well underway when everyone saw Sai bringing in a large objected covered in a black cloth. Sai brought the object to the front of the reception hall where Naruto and Sakura sat so they could face the rest of their guests. 

"Sai, what ya got there?" Naruto asked curiously.

"It's your wedding present. I painted this for you two and wanted to give it to you today," Sai said as he propped the covered painting onto an easel.

Sakura tightened her grip on Naruto's hand in excitement. "Oh Sai, that's so nice of you! Can we see it?"

"I heard somewhere that people usually opened presents after the wedding, but if you want to see it . . .," as Sai grabbed the cloth covering the painting and pulled it off with a smile.

When the beautiful painting was revealed, everyone marveled at the level of detail the painting had. The brush strokes were intricate and the colors matched perfectly, giving the painting a life-like quality. Of course, once everyone actually stopped and saw what Sai had painted, the room was filled with gasps of embarrassment.

Kiba had the audacity to give a low whistle and stare at the pair with a lecherous look. "Way to go Naruto! You scored a real babe!"

The newly married couple would have murdered Kiba on the spot if he didn't have to tend to a fainting Hinata. Looking at the picture, Sakura couldn't blame the poor girl for passing out.

The painting showed the pair lying on the couch with Naruto on his back, holding Sakura close to him with her head resting on his bare chest. Sakura's hands were locked with Naruto's and their legs were nothing short of a tangled mess. The only thing giving them any sense of decency was a black T-shirt thrown haphazardly over Sakura's rear. There was something in the corner of the painting that caught her eye and oh no, was that a used con—good lord, yes it was. At least all of the really private parts of their bodies were covered up due to the way they were lying down, but the image showed enough skin to raise some eyebrows.

In a panic, Naruto stood in front of the painting and opened up his Hokage robe so no one could see his bride in a state of undress. "Everyone close your eyes! That's an order from your Hokage!"

Sakura couldn't help but gape. The details were drawn perfectly in Sai's painting. He had to have drawn it sometime when she and Naruto were asleep after their first night together. Sakura was certain that's when this drawing was made because it was the only time that the couple had ever woken up on the couch. Sakura had always wanted that time with Naruto to be memorialized, but not like _that_!

Thankfully, Naruto made a few shadow clones to take the painting away and left one to berate Sai for his lack of tact. Before the commotion could die down, Naruto picked up his bride and started to run out of the room with the full intent on taking her away from the embarrassing situation.

As Naruto picked Sakura up, she thought she saw Anko and Kurenai giving her signs of approval. In fact, most of the women in the room were looking a bit jealous of the man Sakura married, especially since they could see more of him in that painting. Sakura didn't particularly care about those women because Naruto was hers and if any of them had a problem with it, they could talk to her fists. Once she noticed that her husband had carried her out of the reception hall, she started to protest. "Naruto! The reception isn't over yet."

"Do you really _want_ to go back in there?"

Sakura blushed and wrapped her arms around Naruto's neck a little tighter. "No, not really. Ugh, I think I'm going to kill Sai next time I see him."

"Got a shadow clone working on that right now."

"Good, make sure you save some for me though."

Naruto ran back to their home where he gently put Sakura down in the living room where his shadow clones had put the painting. If it weren't for the fact that they first saw the painting in front of the entire village, they would have enjoyed the fine details. As it stood, now everyone knew just how long they had been intimately involved with one another. Sakura sighed, knowing that she was going to get an ear-full from Ino when she saw her next.

All those negative thoughts were pushed aside as she felt two strong arms wrap around her body from behind. She put her hands on top of his and sunk back into the safety of her husband's arms. "Hey."

"Hey yourself. So how is my beautiful wife feeling? Wow, that sounds cool. My wife. Wife. Wife. Wife. Wife. I could get used to saying that."

"I could get used to hearing it," Sakura laughed and turned around so she could face him. "But I'm wonderful. It feels so good being married to you."

"Same here." Naruto's eyes drifted back to Sai's painting and he got a certain gleam in his eye. "You know Sakura-chan? Sai's painting is actually pretty good."

"I'm sure it is, but I didn't want everyone to see it," Sakura groaned.

"Yeah, but doesn't it bring back memories. That was a really nice night. Kinda wish you could go back and do it all over again, right?"

Sakura caught into what Naruto was scheming and decided to play along. "What are you suggesting?"

"You know, we haven't done it on the couch in a while . . . so, what do you say?" Naruto asked huskily.

"Like I've said before, you can touch anything of mine Mr. Uzumaki."

It was that night that a new flame was lit within Konoha and the will of fire continued its nurturing burn. And with the many promises the Rokudaime made, he would make a new vow to protect the new loves in his life and ensure that they would never have to endure the hardships he had as a child. Because theses promises were made with love and those are the promises that could never be broken.


End file.
